THE DUCHESSE BE BOUKGOGNE AND MADAME. 185

polled by affliction or decorum. He became so bad, in fact,
"that his people were forced to undress him then and there, put
tiiru to bed, and call in the doctor. Madame la Duchesse de
3Berry was beside herself, and we shall soon see why. The
most bitter despair was painted with horror on her face.
There was seen written, as it were, a sort of furious grief,
foased on interest, not affection; now and then came dry lulls
cleep and sullen, then a torrent of tears and involuntary
gestures, yet restrained, which showed extreme bitterness of
mind, fruit of the profound meditation that had preceded.
"Often aroused by the cries of her husband, prompt to assist
liim, to support him, to embrace him, to give her smelling-
bottle, her care for him was evident; but soon came another
profound reverie—then a gush of tears assisted to suppress her
•cries. As for Madame la Duchesse de Bourgogne she consoled
lier liusband with less trouble than she had to appear herself
In -want of consolation. Without attempting to play a part, it
•was evident that she did her best to acquit herself of a pressing
•duty of decorum. But she found extreme difficulty in keeping
up appearances. When the Prince her brother-in-law howled,
•she blew her nose. She had brought some tears along with
lier and kept them up with care; and these combined with
the art of the handkerchief, enabled her to redden her eyes,
and make them swell, and smudge her face; but her glances
•often wandered on the sly to the countenances of all present.

Madame arrived, in full dress she knew not why, and howl-
ing she knew not why, inundated everybody with her tears in.
•embracing them, making the chateau echo with renewed cries,
find furnished the odd spectacle of a Princess putting on her
robes of ceremony in the dead of night to come and cry among
a crowd of women with but little on except their night dresses,
•—almost as masqueraders.

In the gallery several ladies, Madame la Duchesse d'Orleans,
Madame de Castries, and Madame de Saint-Simon among the
rest, finding no one close by, drew near each other by the side
of a tent-bedstead, and began to open their hearts to each other,
•which they did with the more freedom, inasmuch as they had